Wondering when the SunBelt is going to start putting feelers out for additional schools to their conference?The JMU decision has long since past...and still no word from the SB on them.

If the SB is going to add more schools by the start of next years scheduling then they need to get a move on.

If not JMU...then I would think McNeese and Sam Houston should be added. These two schools have been at or near the top of the Southland for a number of years. And would fit right in with many of the other schools in the region.

Also, since the SB is a transitional conference....I would like to see the addition of two more non football schools in quality cities....such as: Wichita, Belmont, College of Charleston, UNC Greensboro, Lipscomb, A&M Corpus Christie, or similar type school. Adding two more teams to the lineup would give the conference stability in the numbers, add to their footprint, and strengthen the conferences lineup of games without having to divide up the football revenue. My example is the A-10...they have around 14 teams...none of which play football. And that conference is seen as being very strong. If the SB follows the model....then they could add some nice strength without compromising football one bit.

Oh, and add NMSU as all sport. Which also adds basketball strength.

Football seems to be getting tougher and tougher for small conference to gain a foothold....why not try to strengthen a conferences non-football areas as a response??

As far as expansion goes, there's still no answer on the Sun Belt if the conference is planning to find a replacement for Western Kentucky yet, and/or having a CCG. Looks like it'll be in vain on having Idaho and New Mexico State as football affiliates.

Basically, a realignment deadline (for filing revised membership with the NCAA) comes around once a year, and that is June 30th.So the Sun-Belt missed the boat for the football season starting in the fall of 2014.They have until June 30, 2014 to adjust their line-up for sports commencing after July 1, 2015.

Based on that, there would seem to be impetus to get things squared away with team #10 / 12(FB) sometime this spring.

I think Idaho and NMSU can stick around as FB affiliates for quite some time.

Based on geography, the Sun-Belt would like to add a school for all sports that would be in the Eastern Conf. for football, and could be a travel partner for Appalachian State (anywhere in VA, KY, TN, NC, SC, GA, AL would seem to work...)

My personal thinking is that Jacksonville State will get a close look, if James Madison says No, or drags their feet too much this coming spring.

Basically, a realignment deadline (for filing revised membership with the NCAA) comes around once a year, and that is June 30th.So the Sun-Belt missed the boat for the football season starting in the fall of 2014.They have until June 30, 2014 to adjust their line-up for sports commencing after July 1, 2015.

Based on that, there would seem to be impetus to get things squared away with team #10 / 12(FB) sometime this spring.

I think Idaho and NMSU can stick around as FB affiliates for quite some time.

Based on geography, the Sun-Belt would like to add a school for all sports that would be in the Eastern Conf. for football, and could be a travel partner for Appalachian State (anywhere in VA, KY, TN, NC, SC, GA, AL would seem to work...)

My personal thinking is that Jacksonville State will get a close look, if James Madison says No, or drags their feet too much this coming spring.

I can see your point Tute. However, I still believe that both UT-Arlington and UALR still have a chance to attempt of adding FBS football in their respective athletic programs to actually "seal the deal". But unfortunately, I doubt that it'll ever happen, and it's like me vs. the entire world on that aspect. *sighs* The other choice should had been re-adding Charlotte (former Sun Belt member as a non-football full member) with FBS football, for travel partner stuff with Appalachian State (in terms of East division mode); or having the other Louisiana regional-based state universities (like Northwestern State and Southeastern Louisiana). Obviously, it's impossible to have Idaho and New Mexico State for full membership (with Idaho already going to re-join the Big Sky). But geographically, the Sun Belt should NOT expand to the Midwest. The most possible should be in the South Central and the South Atlantic U.S. regions. That's my way of analyzing. It's a shame that the Sun Belt talent are the ones that lead to C-USA attention; BUT not vice-versa.

I can see your point Tute. However, I still believe that both UT-Arlington and UALR still have a chance to attempt of adding FBS football in their respective athletic programs to actually "seal the deal". But unfortunately, I doubt that it'll ever happen, and it's like me vs. the entire world on that aspect. *sighs* The other choice should had been re-adding Charlotte (former Sun Belt member as a non-football full member) with FBS football, for travel partner stuff with Appalachian State (in terms of East division mode); or having the other Louisiana regional-based state universities (like Northwestern State and Southeastern Louisiana). Obviously, it's impossible to have Idaho and New Mexico State for full membership (with Idaho already going to re-join the Big Sky). But geographically, the Sun Belt should NOT expand to the Midwest. The most possible should be in the South Central and the South Atlantic U.S. regions. That's my way of analyzing. It's a shame that the Sun Belt talent are the ones that lead to C-USA attention; BUT not vice-versa.[/quote]

OK....so, you doubt UTA and UALR will add football anytime soon.....and Charlotte is already in CUSA. So...I don't really get what you are trying to say???

I also want NMSU in as a full member. I don't see why that would be a bad idea or couldn't happen.

NW La hasn't been a powerhouse in the Southland.If you add any team in La. then it needs to be McNeese, SE La. or even UNO(after they get fb up and running). Those are the next teams up from Louisiana.

I don't see too many teams from the Southeast or Atlantic regions that are available for football...since, App St., Georgia State and Georgia Southerns have already been added.

With this alignment the conference travel shrinks quite a bit. The teams...now...don't have to travel so far for out of division games. And rivalries would explode with teams in Louisiana on both sides of the conference.Belmont helps to solidify the east because it connects Arkansas to the eastern schools. Sam Houston along with Texas State helps to connect NMSU with the schools to its east. Two more schools in Louisiana helps to create a center to the conference which not only balances the east and west but gives the conference a guaranteed home base or region.

I have a note on my "tracking spreadsheet" that says UT-Arlington has been contemplating starting up a football team that would begin play in 2016. Not sure where that stands. If so that would be FB team #12 (if yu include FB only affiliates Idaho and NMSU).

UALR has absolutely NO interest in football, and has been grandfathered into Sun-Belt membership, as long as they maintain participation in the required minimum number of conference sports.Denver did not meet that minimum, and they were asked to add sports, or withdraw from the conference.They chose the latter.

UALR has absolutely NO interest in football, and has been grandfathered into Sun-Belt membership, as long as they maintain participation in the required minimum number of conference sports. Denver did not meet that minimum, and they were asked to add sports, or withdraw from the conference. They chose the latter.

No disrespect, but that's b.s.! Otherwise, the Trojans should NOT be in the Sun Belt, they should be at least in the A-Sun or in the Southland.

But then again, why is it necessary for FBS conferences to have non-football full members in the first place? All excluding back to this season with Notre Dame joining the ACC for all sports (except football, which still Independent).

UTA and UALR do present a little bit of a dilemma for the SBC. As long as neither of them play football the status quo is probably okay but if UTA does add the sport it really puts pressure on UALR to add it or leave. My suspicion is that Arkansas St and the UL schools are sticking up for UALR and making sure that other SBC members press the issue because they like the convenience of having the Trojans nearby. The SBC could consider going to a 9/12 hybrid league but I dont think that that is in the best interest of the league. They really need to make football a requirement for membership.

UTA and UALR do present a little bit of a dilemma for the SBC. As long as neither of them play football the status quo is probably okay but if UTA does add the sport it really puts pressure on UALR to add it or leave. My suspicion is that Arkansas St and the UL schools are sticking up for UALR and making sure that other SBC members press the issue because they like the convenience of having the Trojans nearby. The SBC could consider going to a 9/12 hybrid league but I dont think that that is in the best interest of the league. They really need to make football a requirement for membership.

I can see your point Muskie. If UTA adds football first in the future, it leaves UALR with no choice but to join along eventually.

But putting that a bit aside, here's the "proposed" division alignment for 2014 in the Sun Belt so far:

Despite the additions of Appalachian State and Georgia Southern for next season, it STILL leaves the conference a member short to have 12 schools and the chance to sponsor a CCG (like the AAC). The question now is: "Will the Sun Belt plan to find an adequate full member to the #12 before July 1, 2014?"

UNC-Charlotte WOULD had been the adequate member as the 12th member, and would might fit well in the Eastern Division side of the conference; especially on the process of developing an FBS football program. However, the 49ers chose to re-join C-USA instead of re-joining the Sun Belt.

Despite the additions of Appalachian State and Georgia Southern for next season, it STILL leaves the conference a member short to have 12 schools and the chance to sponsor a CCG (like the AAC). The question now is: "Will the Sun Belt plan to find an adequate full member to the #12 before July 1, 2014?"

Not that I am or am not a fan of the idea, but whatever happened to the rumors of Florida A&M making the jump up to FBS? The Sun Belt would find their way back into the State of Florida. I was also thinking, if Florida A&M wasn't an option, South Carolina St. I really don't see James Madison going to the Sun Belt over the options of the MAC and CUSA.

Not that I am or am not a fan of the idea, but whatever happened to the rumors of Florida A&M making the jump up to FBS? The Sun Belt would find their way back into the State of Florida. I was also thinking, if Florida A&M wasn't an option, South Carolina St. I really don't see James Madison going to the Sun Belt over the options of the MAC and CUSA.

If it won't be Florida A&M nor South Carolina St. (why a HBCU in an FBS conference?) nor James Madison, who else would be candidate-eligible in your mind BePcr?

Not that I am or am not a fan of the idea, but whatever happened to the rumors of Florida A&M making the jump up to FBS? The Sun Belt would find their way back into the State of Florida. I was also thinking, if Florida A&M wasn't an option, South Carolina St. I really don't see James Madison going to the Sun Belt over the options of the MAC and CUSA.

If it won't be Florida A&M nor South Carolina St. (why a HBCU in an FBS conference?) nor James Madison, who else would be candidate-eligible in your mind BePcr?

I just remember Florida A&M to the Sun Belt rumors from the not-too-distant past. If not those schools, I could definitely see the Sun Belt looking at schools like Missouri St or Jacksonville St. My preference between the 2 would be Missouri St. It adds a new new state to the Sun Belt map and Jacksonville St would be the third Alabama school in the Sun Belt.

I just remember Florida A&M to the Sun Belt rumors from the not-too-distant past. If not those schools, I could definitely see the Sun Belt looking at schools like Missouri St or Jacksonville St. My preference between the 2 would be Missouri St. It adds a new new state to the Sun Belt map and Jacksonville St would be the third Alabama school in the Sun Belt.

Nice choice. But I would choose Jacksonville St. over Missouri St. because another Alabama school would pair-up the divisions, which a school from Missouri cannot, which is more West than East.

I just remember Florida A&M to the Sun Belt rumors from the not-too-distant past. If not those schools, I could definitely see the Sun Belt looking at schools like Missouri St or Jacksonville St. My preference between the 2 would be Missouri St. It adds a new new state to the Sun Belt map and Jacksonville St would be the third Alabama school in the Sun Belt.

Nice choice. But I would choose Jacksonville St. over Missouri St. because another Alabama school would pair-up the divisions, which a school from Missouri cannot, which is more West than East.

The Jacksonville St divisional format above definitely suits the current schools better by keeping both UL's together. The Missouri St scenario would have to put one of the UL's in the East which creates a divisional-geographical "gap" between Louisiana and Alabama because Mississippi is not represented in the East. That type of gap looks goofy within a division. Athletically, I can't really distinguish them for the past decade. The Jacksonville St stadium holds almost 8,000 more. However, Missouri St is in Springfield, MO has over 160,000 residents while Jacksonville, AL has about 12,500 residents. I'm not sure how important TV sets are for the Sun Belt Conference though.

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